more on relational idolatry.

relational idolatry isnt just a matter of placing PEOPLE in general over GOD. whenever people get into relational idolatry, its usually a perversion for the sole trust and reliance we are supposed to place in God. this was a dynamic that led me to become so male driven. just as the reliance and trust we should place in God alone should become an all-consuming fire, whatever romantic interest i had at the time, became an all-consuming fire as well. im well into my renewed walk with God for well over a year, and im just now beginning to fully realize just how destructive this dynamic was, not just to myself, but to those around me. this was one of the factors that was at the root of my obsessive bipolar disorder. medication is,at best, a bandaid solution, if the deeper spiritual and psychogical factors arent first addressed. and recognizing it is only half the battle. the new birth is instant, but, after the new birth, we are often left with the nature of the flesh,one part of which is a mind diametrically opposed to the Word of God, to retrain. and this process can take a long time. to pereservere, one often has to just keep renewing their mind daily and keep ones eyes on the prize.

medication DID bring me to a place of normalcy for me to see it had to stop. but i had still yet to see it would never be within me to find my own way sans God. like most people, prior to accepting Jesus as lord and Savior, i had to come to the end of myself to realize this. its not enough to take meds, and to say, "im not going to do this, or do that anymore". it had to come from a much deeper place inside of me, where i had to say, "i dont want this kind of dynamic anymore" at the time, i return to the Lord, i wasnt out on the streets, and id been sober for three years(BEING SOBER was an important factor, in being brought to a place where i saw i HAD to submit), i was in a stable, loving relationship. theres all sorts of ways one can come to the end of ourselves. the bottom line is, that its sort of like max dugan when it comes to God (and God IS persistant) YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CANT HIDE!!! it was basically God telling me He loved me and wanted me back.

relational idolatry is Satans way of, not just COUNTERFEITING the sole reliance God wants us to place upon Him, but also PERVERTING it. making God the center of ones life, brings joy, fulfillment, and a sense of completeness. unbelievers view the God of the Bible as one who wants to TAKE YOUR LIFE AWAY FROM YOU. the opposite is true .God GAVE MY LIFE BACK to me!!!!!! making PEOPLE important parts of your life..theres nothing wrong with that.PEOPLE are Gods most valuable commodity. relational idolatry is totally different. its when you take one person, place that person at the absolute center of your life. THIS brings
frustration, disappointment as you look upon each one of them as one failure after another,( not understanding that its impossible for that person to meet your demands) its a stronghold- a pattern of thought you cling to even when its apparent its not working( only SATAN can have you persistantly clinging to a revealed lie), and ulitmately DESPAIR. IT TAKES YOUR LIFE from you, including other people.

relational idolatry is the dynamic behind people who end up stalking their target of interest. a key factor in the life of a stalker, is that they have either no close friends, except for family, or they have very few close friends. having no network outside of that one person, they pursue something that is impossible, making that one person the answer to all their problems. only GOD can do that, IF youre willing. i STALKED people. why???? well, its like this. we ALL deal
with disappointments in friendships and relationships, when one person just isnt as interested as the other one is, and they pull away. most of us, even though we experience the sense of loss and disappoinmtents, they move on. they have other people to balance out that sense of loss.
however, relational idolatry robs you of other things in your life, including other people that God may place in your life to help you. i wound up feeling swamped by that disappointment, and consumed by the obsession to obtain that relationship, which included anger i was uable to let go of if they werent satisfied with everything i did. this came from my world just not being full enough to combat it.

i remember the movie FATAL ATTRACTION, and one scene that really stands out in my mind,
is the scene where glenn close is sitting, glass of wine in her hand, listening to madame butterfly, and you could see the obsession, frustration, and, most of all, the deep loneliness,
that was at the very root of her obsession. you could see THIS MAN was her God..if only she could have him, all hesr problems would be solved. most people, when going through something is in the company of friends. but relational idolatru, in its futile attempt to make ONE PERSON the answer to all your problems, almost always leaves you with few or not friends. its a frightening place to be...for others who are the target of this obsession, but also for the person consumed by this feeling of being utterly out of control.

relational idolatry is a countefeit for the One who CAN meet all my needs..IF i let Him